Floor rack



June 13, 1939- s. B. HAsELTlNE FLOOR RACK Filed Nov. 6, 1936 4 sheets-sheet 1 June 13, 1939. s. B. HAsELTlNE FLOOR RACK Filed Nov. 6, 1936 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 MZ Invefzaf hay B Haselze June 13, 1939- s. B. HAsl-:LTINE FLOOR RACK `Filed NOV. 6, 1936 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 June 13, 1939- s. B. HAsELTlNE FLOOR RAG K Filed Nov. e, 1936 4 sheetsskin 4 Patented June 13, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FLOOR RACK of Delaware Application November 6, 1936, Serial No. 109,509

10 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in floor racks for refrigerator cars, and more particularly to oor racks which are readily removable.

One object of, the invention is to provide a removable lloor rack construction for railway cars of the refrigerator type, hinged to the car walls in such a manner that they may be swung upwardly out of the way to substantially vertical position against the walls, the hinge members of the racks being readily detachable from the Walls to permit complete removal of the racks from the car to convert the same for lading which does not require elevation from the floor.

A further object of the invention is to provide in a construction of the character described in the preceding paragraph detachable hinge means of simple and rugged design which is secured against accidental disengagement from the cooperating wall member of the car when the floor rack is in position overlying the floor and when it is swung upwardly or downwardly.

A still further object of the invention is to provide hinge means for pivotally supporting floor rack structures of the type hereinbeiore referred to which permits quick and easy detachment and removal of the rack structure from the car by separation of the cooperating relatively pivoted members of each hinge oi the hinge means.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide hinge means of the character described in the preceding paragraph, wherein one of the hinge members of each hinge is in the form of a rigid arm on the rack structure having a pivot element thereon detachably engageable with a cooperating pivot element mounted on the car Wall.

Other objects of the invention will more clearly appear from the description and claims hereinafter following.

In the drawings forming a part of this specication, Figure l is a top plan View of a portion of the oor rack structure at one end of a refrigerator car, illustrating my improvements in connection therewith, the oor rack structure being broken away at one side of the longitudinal center line of the car, and the car walls being indicated in dotted lines. Figure 2 is a transverse vertical sectional view through the structure of the rack, corresponding substantially to the line 2-2 of Figure l. Figure 3 is a vertical sectional View, corresponding substantially to the line 3-3 of Figures l and 2. Figure 4 .is a horizontal sectional View, corresponding substantially to the line 4-4 of Figure 2. Figure 5 is a View similar to Figure 3, but showing the hinged connection in a different position, Figure 6 is a View similar to Figure 3, illustrating another embodiment of the invention. Figure '7 is a horizontal sectional view, corresponding substantially to the line 1-1 of Figure 6. Figure 8 is a broken View similar to Figure- 3, illustrating still another embodiment of the invention. Figure 9 is a View similar to Figure 2 showing a still further embodiment of the invention. Figure l0 is a vertical sectional view, corresponding susbtantially to the line lll-lll of Figure 9.

In said drawings, It indicates one end portion of a refrigerator car body, which is indicated in dotted lines in Figure 1. The car body is provided with the usual insulated walls, floor, and roof, one of the side walls of said carvbeing indicated by Il and one of the end walls thereof by l2. One of the bulkheads or transverse partitions which separates the ice compartment at the end of the car from the remainder of the car is designated by I3. As is Well understood by those skilled in this art, two such bulkheads are provided in each car, one at each end thereof, and the space between the bulkheads serves to accommodate the lading. When the car is used for lading requiring elevation of the floor, the entire licor space between the bulkheads is covered by a floor rack structure. It is a common practice to employ a floor rack structure composed of a plurality of separate sections, comprising two duplicate sets, the sets being divided lengthwise of the car and each set being divided transversely of the car into sections.

My improved floor rack structure, as shown in Figure l, comprises a plurality of similar sections M-l, one of which is illustrated substantially in full, but broken away transversely through the central portion to accommodate the same to the sheet of drawings, other adjacent sections being shown broken away. The sections lil-Hl are arranged in sets at opposite sides of the center line of the car and cover the entire floor area which is available for lading. As will be understood, each complete set may be composed of any desired number of individual sections. Each section I4 comprises. spaced transverse slats l5-l5 secured to laterally spaced, longitudinally extending supporting beams or stringers I6-I6. Each section I4 thus forms a unit which is bodily removable from the car.

Referring first to the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figures 1 to 5 inclusive, each floor rack section I4 is connected to the corresponding side wall Il of the car by my im- Y proved detachable hinge means indicated by A,

member C.

The hinge member B comprises arbracket p0rtion I'l fixed to the floor rack section I4, and

an outwardly extending right angular arm I8 on said bracket portion I'I having the relatively thick, solid angular end section thereof upstanding with respect to the rack section and provided with laterally projecting trunnions I9-I9 above the level of the rack, which form the pivot pin member D or pivot of Vthe hinge means A. As clearly shown, the pivot portion of the angular end section of the armV I8 is in the form of a T- head and the trunnions I9-I9 are flattened on diametrically opposite sides as indicated at 20-20 for a purpose hereinafter described.

Y The bracket portion II of the hinge member B Y has a'substantia'lly fiat platelike web portion 2| at right angles tothe arm I8 by which the bracket is secured to the outer face of the Stringer I@ which is nearest the outer edge of the rack section I4, the web 2I bearing atly on said stringer and being xed thereto by bolts 22-22 or other securing elements extending through said web andthe stringer. Y

The inner section of the arm I8 includes a at Yplatelike portion 23 having a raised central portion 24, said platelike portion and the raised portion thereof being disposed at right angles to the web 2l and continuous therewith. The inner section of the arm I8 further includes a pair of relatively wide, laterally spaced, reenforcing and .bracing webs 25-25 which extend lengthwise of the arm I8 and depend from the platelike section 23. These webs are formed integral with the plate or web sections 2|v and 23. VAs shown in Figures 2, 3, and 4, the raised central portion 24 of the top plate portion 23 is seated between two adjacent slats I 5-I5 of the rack I4 Vand the platelike portion 23 at opposite sides ofsaid raised portion 24 underlies these slats and is secured thereto by bolts 26-26 or similar securing elements extending through said plate portion and the slats ISV-I5. Y

The hinge socket member C, which is preferably in the form of a casting, is seated ina pocket 21 provided'in or completely sunk into the face of the vertical side wall II of the car. The socket member C includes a substantially rectangulan vertically disposed plate28 and a boxlike chamber portion 29 formed on the rear side of said plate, the boxlike portion being of smaller size' than the plate so that the plate projects laterally beyond said boxlike portion on all sides thereof. The plate 28 forms the front Wall of the boxlike portionr29 and Vis provided with an opening 30 of T-shapedv outline which opens into the boxlike portion. The lower section of the boxlike portion 29 is-narrower than the upper section thereof and preferably corresponds in interior Width to the lower narrower portion of the T- shaped opening or slot 3Il. The upper section of the boxlike portion 29 is preferably of an interior width corresponding to the wider upper portion of said T-shaped opening 30. VThis Wider upper section of the boxlike portion 29 is extended some distance below the Wider upper section of said T-shaped slot 30 and has trunnion seats 3I-3I formed therein at opposite sides of the upper end section of the narrower portion of the T-shaped slot 30. These trunnion seats are of substantially cylindrical contour and are open at the top, as indicated at 32-32. The opening 32 of each trunnion seat is of lesser width than the diameter of said seat, but of slightly greater width than the width of the corresponding trun-V nion I9 between the flattened side faces 20-20 thereof, so as to permit the trunnion to pass into and out of said opening when the hinge member B is in the position shown in Figure 5. As will be evident, the hinge member B may be readily assembled with the hinge socket member C by entering the trunnions Ill-I9 of the former into 'the socket member C through the upper larger portion Aof the T-shapedfslot 36, and with the member B in the position shown in Figure 5, passing the trunnions downwardly through the openings 32-7-32 into the trunnion seats 3I-3I. When the hinge member B is swung downwardly to the position shown in Figure`3, the trunnions will be turned to such 'an extent that the wider portions thereof liein horizontal plane, thus latching the trunnions of ioVV the hinge member B against accidental disen-r gagement from the seats 3I-3I. shown in Figure 3, a certain amount of clearance is provided between the hinge trunnions I 9-I9 and the walls of the trunnion seats 3I-3 I. This clearance permits of the limited amount of upward displacement of the trunnions in their seats when the floor rack sections are swung from the vertical position shown in Figure 5 to the hori-V zontal position shown in Figure 3, thereby elim; inating the danger of the trunnions being broken off Vor damaged when the rack section is permitted to bounce upwardly through rough han-Y dling when swung from the vertical to the hori-` zontal position.

'Ihe plate sections 2B of the socket members C are set into the wall I I of the car and the box like pocket portions of the members C are accommodated in the pockets 2l, which pockets preferably correspond in shape and size to said boxlike portions. The socket members C are iixed to the wall II of the car by screws or simi'- lar securing elements extending through'the laterally projecting portions of the plate sections 28,

As shown in Figure 1, each floor rack sectionfor lading which does not require elevation from,

the floor, the rack sections I 4-I4 are detached and completely removed from the oar, thereby making available the maximum lading capacity of the car. In detaching the different rack sections, it is necessary merely to swing each section to approximately vertical position and then raise the same to lift the trunnions I9-I9 out of the seats 3I-3l as hereinbefore described, Yand after the trunnions have been disengaged, withdrawing the same through the enlarged sectionV of theV T-slot 30 of the socket memberC by pulling the As clearly Y Referring next to the embodiment of the in-' hinged edge of the rack section away from the side wall of the car. The rack section after being detached from the car wall is ready for complete removal from the car. To replace the rack sections, the reverse procedure is followed, the trunnion portions of the hinge members B-B being entered through the enlarged portions of the slots S-il of the socket members C-C, and then with the hinge members B-B rotated to the position shown in Figure 5, moved downwardly into the seats 3i-3L The hinge members B-B are thus securely anchored to the side wall of the car held against lateral displacement by the portions of the arms l8-l8 which engage through the narrower portions of the slots 30-30 of the socket members C-C.

When the sections have been anchored to the walls of the car, the hinged arrangement thereof allows the same to be swung upwardly out of the way against the side walls of the car in the usual manner, and as is common practice to be supported in said out of the way position by suitaole holding or latching means.

Referring next to the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figures 6 and 7 wherein is disclosed a modied form of hinge means for the rack structure, the hinge means comprises a hinge arm member E and a cooperating hinge butt member F. The hinge member E includes a bracket portion 33 having a platelike section 34 underlying one of the slats l of the rack and provided with upstanding side flanges embracing said slat on opposite sides. The bracket 33 also a depending web 35 at right angles to the section 34, which web bears on the outer face of the stringer i3 which is nearest the outer side' edge of the rack section I4. The bracket 33 is further reenforced by spaced depending webs E@ which are formed integral with the plate fili the web 35. The hinge member E further includes a right angular arm 3'! extending from the bracket portion thereof, said arm having the angularly disposed end section thereof of lesser width than the bracket portion 33 of said member E and formed with a hooked or curled end section 38 adapted to engage over a pivot pin 39 of the cooperating hinge butt member F. At the lower end of the angularly disposed end section of the arm 31, the member E is provided with a vertical transverse web 4&3 adapted to limit downward swinging movement of said member E by engagement with the side wall of the car. The ber E is xed to the rack section i4 by bolts or .similar securing elements extending through the Stringer l5 and the web 35 and through the slat l5 and the platelike section 34.

The hinge butt member F comprises a platelike section 4i having a central inwardly offset socket portion 42 provided with a transversely extending pivot pin 3S which extends from one side wall to the other of the socket and is spaced from the top, bottom, front, and rear of said socket. The member F is seated in a suitable recess 43 in the side wall il of the car and the plate section 4i thereof which projects on all sides of the socket portion 42 is inset in said wall and secured thereto by screws 44-44. As will be understood, the rack section i4 may be detached from the wall of the car by lifting the hooked ends of the hinge members E-E out of engagement with the pivot pins S19-39 of the butt brackets F-F, and may be attached or anchored to the wall of the for pivotal movement by merely engaging the hooked portions of the members E-E over the pivot pins 39-39.

vention illustrated in Figure 8, a modified form of hinge means is disclosed, which is in all respects similar to the hinge means A shown in Figures l to 5 inclusive, with the exception that the angularly disposed outer end section of the arm I8 of the member B is provided with truly cylindrical trunnions 45 which seat in upwardly opening seats 46 on the hinge socket member C, the top openings of which seats are of suicient width to permit free insertion and removal of said trunnions. As will be evident, the trunnions 45 may be engaged with the seats 46 when the rack section is in horizontal position, it being thus not necessary to swing the rack upwardly to engage the trunnions as must be done in connection with the hinge means illustrated in Figures l to 5 inclusive.

Referring next to the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figures 9 and 10, a modified form of hinge means similar to the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figures 1 to 5 inclusive is shown with the exception that the connection between the hinge members is modied, as well as the structure of the bracket which is secured to the rack section I4.

The hinge means shown in Figures 9 and 10 comprises cooperating hinge members B and C', similar to the hinge members B and C hereinbefore described, except as hereinafter pointed out. The bracket portion of the hinge member B', which is indicated by 41 and corresponds to the bracket portion il of the hinge member B, is provided with a rearward extension 48 which is hooked over the top of the Stringer i6 to which the hinge member B' is secured. The angularly disposed end section of the arm 49 of said member B', which corresponds to the end section of the arm i8 of the member B, has the trunnions thereof, which correspond to the trunnions of the member B, formed of truly cylindrical cross section, and is further provided with side wings 5%-50 having straight upper guide faces or surfaces adapted to cooperate with guide means on the hinge member C to prevent accidental disengagement of the trunnions of the member B from the member C when the rack is in position on the floor and when it is being swung upwardly or downwardly.

The hinge member C includes a plate-like member 5| having a rearwardly extended boxlike pocket portion 52 formed thereon, the pocket portion being divided into top and bottom chambers 53 and 54 by transversely aligned, inwardly projecting lugs 55-55 which have their inner ends spaced apart laterally to provide a narrow slotlike section 53 to accommodate the reduced section of the arm 49 between the trunnions and the wings Sii-5B of the member B. rI'his plate member 5l is provided with an opening 51 in registration with the chambers 53 and 54 and the slotlike section 53. The opening 5'! thus has relatively wide top and bottom sections and a narrower intermediate section corresponding respectively in shape and size to the openings 53 and 54 and the slot 56. The projections or lugs 55-55 have curved lower guide surfaces 58-58 adapted to be engaged by the straight top guide surfaces of the wings 53-53. These lugs 55-55 are further provided with upwardly opening trunnion seats 59-59 adapted to accommodate the trunnions of the member B'.

When the trunnions of the member B are engaged within the seats 59-59 of the member C', as shown in Figures 9 and l0, the wings 5G-5) C' in position so that these members cannot become accidentally disengaged.V Further, the lugs 55-55 in cooperating with the wings 50-50 form Y rugged bracing means which resist strains due to upwardly actingr thrusty forces which may be produced by abrupt engagement of the rack section with the oor of the car due to carelessness or rough handling by the attendant in swinging the rack from Vertical to horizontal position.

To detach the rack section from the car wall, the rack section is swung to approximately vertical position to thereby -disengage the wings 50-50 of the member B from the lugs 55-55 of the member C. After the wings. have been thus disengaged, the trunnions maybe lifted out of the seats 59-59 and passed through the chamber 53'and theV aligned wide upper portion .l of the opening 51 of the plate 5I by pulling upwardly and outwardly on the rack section. In

Vattaching the rack section, the reverse procedure is followed, the trunnions of each member B being engaged through the opening of the plate 5l while theV rack is in-vertical position,

and passed into the seats 59-59; After the trunnions have been thus seated, the rack is permitted to swingv toward its horizontal position, thus engaging the wings 50-50 beneath the lugs z 55-55, thereby latching the pivotalV connection between Vthe hinge members B and C' against accidental disengagement.

I have herein' shown and described what I now consider the preferred manner of carrying out vmy invention, but the same is merely illustrative and I contemplate all changes and modifications that come within the scope of the claims appended hereto.;

I claim.:

1. In a refrigerator car having a side wall and a floor, the combination with a floor rack overlying said oor; of a socket member completely Vsunk into said wall; upward opening curved bearing seats in said socket member, the upward opening of each seat being of restricted size with p respect to the diameter of the curved portion thereof; a lateral passageway leading frornsaid seats tothe exterior'of said socket member; and

rigid hinge arms'on said rack projecting above' the level of said rack and having fixed pivot pin members on the 'outer ends of said projecting portions engagedV within said curved bearing seats for rotary movement, said pivot pin members being cutaway at diametrically opposite i sides topass freely through said restricted openings of said seat to permit either removal of 'said pin members from said seats orinsertion of the same within said seats when said floor rack is swung upwardly away from the floor.

2. Ina refrigerator car having a side wall and a floor, the combination with a floor rack adapted to overlie said floor, said rack comprising longitudinal stringers and transverse slats supported on and xed to said stringers and projecting outwardly beyond the latter; of hinge means swingingly supporting said rack from the carY wall including hinge arms fixed to saidy rack, each arm including a lrigid base portion having sections thereof angularlyV disposed with reference to each other and secured respectively to the outermost Stringer an-dpprojecting portions of adjacent slats of said rack. Y

3. In a refrigerator car having a side wall and a floor, the combination with a floor rack adapted to overlie said iioor, said rack comprising Vlonwith a removable floor rack adapted to overlie said floor; vof cooperating hinge members on said floor rack and car, the hinge members on said car being completely sunk into said side wall; and means Vfor detachably connecting said cooperating hinge members; including pivot pin means on one of said cooperating members and a pivot seat on the other of said members, said pin means and pivot seat Vbeing offset above the plane of the rack when ingoverlying relation to the oor, said pivot seat being open at one side to admit said pivot pin means.

5. In a refrigerator car having a floor and a side wall, the combination with a removable floor rack composed of separate sections adapted to overlie said floor; of means for detachably securing said rack sections to the car for swinging movement including cooperating pairs of separable pivotal anchoring members on each section and on the car, the anchoring members on the car being sunk completely into said side wallfthe anchoring members of said section being rigid with said sections, said anchoring members of each pair having shouldered Vengagement with each other on curved bearing faces, and being slidable into shouldered engagement with each other, Ythe axis'of curvature of said faces being offset above the plane of said Vrack when overlyingY said floor.

6. In a refrigerator car having a floor and a side wall, the combination with a removable floor rack section adapted to overlie said floor; of means for pivotally supporting said rack section including a hinge comprising a pair of cooperating hinge members, oneof which isY rigid with and xed to the rack section and the other of which is fixed to and completely sunk into the body of said side wa11;.and means on said cooperating hingemembers for pivotally connecting the same, comprising a pivot pin member on one of said hinge members and a bearing seat-on the other of said hinge members having detachable hookedV engagement with the pivot pin member, the axis of said pivotal connection being offset above said rack section with the latterV in overlyingrelation to said floor;

7. In ay refrigerator car having a side wall Vand a floor, the Ycombination with a floor rack adapted to overlie said floor; of rigid supporting arms xed to said rack; and pivot means dc- Y tachably connecting said arms to said wall for swinging movement, the axis of'pivotal movement of said means being offset upwardly with respect to said rack when the latter is in overlying relation to the floor, said pivot means including interengageable bearing elements on said armsY said side wall, said seats being above the level of said rack when overlying said floor; rigid supporting arms on said rack extending outwardly therefrom and having upturned end portions extending above the level of said rack and into said seats; and pivot means detachably connecting the ends of said upturned portions of said arms to said wall for swinging movement, said pivot means including interengageable bearing elements on said arms and wall disposed entirely within said seats and relatively slidable into shouldered engagement with each other.

9. In a refrigerator car having a side wall and a floor, the combination with a oor rack overlying said floor; of a rigid hinge arm on said rack having a fixed pivot member at the outer end thereof, said outer end being extended upwardly above the level of the rack; a bearing socket member Completely sunk into said Wall, said socket member having its outer face Iiush with the inner surface of said wall; an upwardly opening pivot seat in said socket member adapted to accommodate the pivot member of said arm for rotary movement; and a laterally outwardly opening passageway in said socket member communicating with said seat to permit passage of said pivot member for insertion and removal of said pivot member with respect to said seat. y

10. In a refrigerator car having a side Wall and a oor, the combination with a floor rack overlying said iloor; of rigid arms on said rack having rigid pivot pin members at the outer ends thereof, said outer ends extending above the level of the rack; hinge butt castings seated `in said Wall and completely sunk into the body of said wall with the upwardly opening xed bearing seats in said hinge butt castings rotatably accommodating said pivot pin members, the up- Ward openings of said bearing seats being of a width to permit free passage of said pin members for engagement with said seats and removal therefrom; and lateral entrance passageways in said hinge butt castings for said pin members communicating with the openings of said seats.

STACY B. HASELTINE. 

